Romeo and Rosaline - 35

Before the final turn, Romeo returned to Arsha after a week. Each time, he was in this ferocious state, molded from blood-stained mud, and he killed time by clutching her close.

Previously, wherever Rosaline went, he followed her, but now she followed him wherever he went. It wasn’t just in Arsha. As the end of the war approached, he took Rosaline to the battlefield.

Then he brought her to a magnificent barracks.

The barracks in the forward base was adorned with gold, reminiscent of Romeo, and even the furs and blankets were dazzling enough to hurt the eyes. Smiling, he revealed his white teeth as he watched Rosaline’s confusion.

“Do you dislike it?”

While she struggled to figure out what he was referring to, she was dragged into the hot courtyard. Throughout the teasing, he complained that he couldn’t understand what was going on inside her mind. In her frantic state, she rebelled silently, holding back the words she wanted to say.

It was a repetition of those days. Waiting for him, receiving him. For Rosaline, staying in the barracks was more uncomfortable than their affairs. The barracks itself was by no means shabby.

Although there was a considerable distance between the forward base and the battlefield, the battlefield was still the battlefield. Romeo was often coming back from there with terrible injuries, and Rosaline felt she should do something instead of just sitting there worrying about him.

However, he got angry when she tried to leave the barracks.

“What can Umbra do by finding a place on the battlefield? Can shadows wield swords, hold swords, or kill people?”

“…If I don’t even stock up on supplies here…”

“Ah, Rosaline.”

He laughed heartily.

“It’s better to stay still than to stock up on supplies and live.”

“…….”

“So behave yourself. I’ll let you take a walk or something.”

He acted as if he’d never see her again, as if her being around him was something that caused him pain.

“Whether you want it or not, I intend to keep you until you die.”

After deeply kissing Rosaline, Romeo departed for the battlefield. He wore a magnificent and heavy golden armor, with the symbol of the sun engraved on his helmet.

Short and long battles ensued. He mostly returned while she was asleep, and even if she was awake, he held her tightly as if to suffocate her before leaving. It seemed like he was checking on the things in their place.

Today too, from dawn onwards, the sound of breaking swords and the pounding of horses’ hooves filled the air. Rosaline stared at the still-warm empty bed for a long time before making up her mind and heading towards the entrance of the barracks.

“Kata’s always staining the sheets with blood, and who knows what he’ll do if she runs away.”

“But it’s not the Umbra’s blood, is it?”

Outside, a man and a woman grumbled in turn.

“No! It’s the blood from the battlefield that Kata brought back. It’s terrifying enough.”

“Alright, so don’t say ominous things. If she escapes, we’ll both die.”

As the man complained, the woman sighed.

“At least clean up the blood before coming inside. We may not talk often, but we do communicate, don’t we?”

Rosaline vaguely knew who they were.

They were the knights who guarded the barracks when Romeo was not around. The twin siblings with black hair and green eyes were Romeo’s loyal followers, just like at the forward base. They were among the few people he allowed to stay by his side in Arsha, where he rejected almost everyone else.

“Sister, why is it always us?”

“I was curious about that too. Last time, she said something we couldn’t understand. Just… we…”

The rest of the words were barely audible in the whispering. As Rosaline pulled back the cloth at the entrance, the dawn drew a red line on the snowflakes falling softly and the gray horizon.

“What’s the matter?”

Raphael, the male knight with the sunlight on his cheek, blinked his eyes and approached to speak. His sister, Israel, had a nearly identical expression. When Rosaline tightly sealed her lips, she let out an exclamation of surprise.

“Please speak. While we may be Umbras, you and I are also Kata’s followers. Under him, all people are equal, so there’s no need to seek individual permission.”

Their ever-changing faces were youthful and full of vitality. Unlike Romeo, who always stood as if his flesh was being cut, they exuded an odd sense of ease that even relaxed Rosaline’s tension.

“Did you happen to see my belongings? I had them wrapped in a piece of cloth the length of my forearm…”

“Belongings?”

“They’re the things I brought from Arsha to here. They were taken somewhere in between, so if they weren’t burned or discarded, I think they might still be somewhere. Can you help me find them?”

It had already been a week since they arrived at the forward base. Israel’s face seemed to say, ‘Why are you looking for them now?’ but there was also a hint of sympathy in her tired expression.

“Is it a dangerous item?”

“No, it’s just random things. Personal…”

“You know Umbras aren’t supposed to have personal belongings, right?”

Israel, who just talked about equality under Kata, pressed her temple with her finger and spoke.

“If it’s not absolutely necessary, it’s better not to bring them. There is a place to store random items, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be there. Besides, as you know, Kata is overly sensitive to your movements.”

As disappointment washed over Rosaline’s complexion, Israel raised her eyebrows and gestured inside.

“If you’re simply bored, Kata has put in books and various toys for you. I thought you might not have touched them. Perhaps it’s not to your taste.”

She rolled her eyes, recalling the blankets, carpets, and various books and toys that didn’t fit the tent on a battlefield. Kata, who pushed the most ornate barbarian loots into the tent, seemed honest yet ignorant.

Meanwhile, Rosaline was perplexed in her own way. Was it an act of decorating the cage? She had never claimed ownership, so she had never bothered to explore it. After a moment of contemplation, she shook her head as if to dismiss her thoughts. That wasn’t important. If she stayed here blindly, she wouldn’t even have a chance to leave when Romeo returned.

“Israel, please, I’m begging you. It’s really important to me…”

“Rosaline!”

The voice of a man echoed through the silent base. As he descended from his horse, his cloak fluttered in the wind. Rosaline’s eyes, which had been narrowing to gauge the opponent from a distance, widened.

“…Lord Tybalt?”

“Well, well, you really are here.”

Tybalt lowered his cloak that covered his head and let out a wry smile. His expression was tinged with guilt, giving him a bitter look. However, there was no trace of ordinary surprise on Rosaline’s face.

“Who is this?”

As Tybalt approached Rosaline, Raphael and Israel interposed themselves between them. They stood like giant, solid walls. Tybalt’s eyes grew cold in response.

“I am the messenger of Duke William Albéric Torildur Alexandro.”

Literally, it meant that he was the messenger of Prince William, who had seized the throne, and had now became a duke. He even wore a cloak with the Capulet emblem embroidered on the edge of his sleeve. Unless one was incredibly ignorant, it was impossible not to recognize the emblem of the highest rank in the country.

Raphael’s complexion turned pale, seemingly embarrassed, and Israel’s expression seemed annoyed.

“Currently, Lord Kata is not present. He won’t return until it gets dark…”

Israel let out a sigh.

“You cannot meet with the Umbra without Lord Kata’s permission.”

“Oh, I’ll take responsibility for what happens.”

He suddenly reached out and grabbed Rosaline’s shoulder.

“For God’s sake, Lord Caplet, we’ll take the blame!”

“Accuse me of coercion. You two just stand there.”

Israel, who was unable to do anything, became frustrated and kicked the ground in frustration.

“…Ha, what the fuck!”

“Sister, be careful with your words!”

“I’m gonna be in a lot of trouble today, so I don’t need to be careful, damn it.”

“Well, it seems the conversation is over.”

Ignoring Israel’s curse, Tybalt cleanly turned and walked with Rosaline towards a secluded area. Although some gazes were filled with exhaustion, perhaps due to rumors that Kata obediently followed Prince William’s orders, there was no need to stop them.

Once they reached a place where there were no people around, Tybalt whispered as if sighing.

“I know about what happened before, Rosaline.”

She didn’t bother to ask about the extent of his knowledge. She wasn’t interested in the first place.

“…Moreover, Romeo, no. Kata, you….”

“…….”

“It’s unforgivable.”

Tybalt wiped his chin.

“Juliet saw the letter the governess left behind. She regretted sending you away so much. She couldn’t bear it and told your mother everything.”

“…….”

“…The nanny vehemently denied it, but it was a knowing look of admission. Juliet resembles her late mother too much to be the nanny’s daughter.”

“She’s dead?”

Rosaline’s tone was as casual and indifferent as asking about someone’s well-being as they pass by. Tybalt was slightly taken aback but quickly nodded.

“No. To be precise, she failed in her suicide attempt. She’s almost gone mad now. Juliet doesn’t see anyone, she doesn’t do anything, just rests. The Count is probably… He seems to be thinking of marrying her.”

“He has a great sense of responsibility.”

“…I see you realized that, Rosaline. I didn’t realize it.”

He smiled, not mocking at all, but rather with a sense of embarrassment.

“If you’re okay, I want to pay the price for you too. Once the war is over, I plan to bring you with me. I’ll properly enroll you and ensure you receive compensation. Juliet has also agreed to it.”

“I don’t need it.”

“Rosaline.”

“It’s not necessary.”

Rosaline looked at him straight in the eye. Her two eyes were slightly trembling, and her voice was also shaky, but she spoke with clarity.

“Really, my lord. Do you want to hear from me that it’s okay, that you don’t need to feel sorry?”

She smiled a wistful smile at the stern Tybalt. After a long silence, the words came out easily.

Perhaps it was because she had been by the ill-tempered Romeo’s side for so long. She clenched her hands tightly, recalling the moment she first stood up to her mother.

“But I don’t want that. Going into the Capulets is not such a great thing, enrolling properly as you wish.”

It was when she had run away and been captured when she was young. There was never a moment when she liked being with the Capulets, and she had no desire to belong to them.

“Do you think she and I can live like siblings? I’ve been a servant to her all my life. Surely you don’t want me to live the same way as my deranged mother.”

She smirked and lowered her head.

“My lord, let me make it clear. I don’t have an obligation to relieve your kind sense of guilt.”

“…….”

“Being by Romeo’s side is my choice. In fact, even when I was in Verona, he was my lover. We intertwined our bodies countless times.”

Furrows formed on Tybalt’s brow.

“…Are you saying that he was your lover, but not anymore?”

“…….”

“Because being by his side is what you want.”

There was no obligation to answer sincerely. Rosaline held her expression firm as she took a deep breath.

“What I want right now is…”

It was to embrace Romeo, to see his innocent smile of pure joy.

“It’s the luggage I brought with me when I came here.”